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CatholicLife
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As Catholics can we eat meat, which is offered to idols?
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F
fermat
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No.
What would be an example?
What would be an example?
C
ConstantineTG
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St. Paul strictly said that we should not eat any food that is offered to idols. We can break fasts on certain situations, but we can never, ever eat food offered to idols.
T
TheDoors
Guest
Glory to God!
This specific issue is mentioned several times in scripture, the most often quoted being:
Acts 15:19-29
Here we see the church in Antioch, which is in Syria and saturated in the Roman culture. Meat at the market could have very well been used in idol worship. The Jews would have nothing to do with this kind of meat, as to them it gave approval to the practice. The gentiles saw it as just buying meat, since they hadn’t done any sacrificing. It was a divisive issue in the church, and to keep anyone from being accused of idol worship, it was decided that noone should partake in meat used in idol worship.
“19) Therefore my judgement is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, 20) but should write to them to abstain from the pollutions of idols and from unchastity and from what is strangled and from blood. 21) For from early generations Moses has had in every city those who preache him, for he is read every sabbath in the synagogues” 22) Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole Church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barasab’bas, and Silas, leading men among the brethern, 23) with the following letter: “The brethren, both the apostles and the elders, to the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cili’cia, greeting. 24) Since we have heard that some persons from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, 25) it has seemed good to us in assembly to choose men and send them to you with out beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26) men who have risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27) We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. 28) For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: 29) that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from unchastity. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell”
1 Corinthians, 8:1-13
The stumbling block. He we have Paul telling us that meat is meat. Meat sacrificed to an idol is sacrificed to nothing at all. Since God has given us all food, all food is clean. However (there is always a however) if eating meat sacrificed to an idol will cause your brother problems and moral doubts (thus forcing him to come to this very excellent forum and ask questions), then you should probably abstain for his sake. Because we love our brothers.
“1) Now concerning food offered to idols: We know that “all of us posess knowledge.” “Knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. 2) If any one imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. 3) But if one loves God, one is known by Him. 4) Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existance,” and that “there is no God but one”. 5) For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth- as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”- 6) yet for us there is one God, the Father, for whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. 7) However, not all posess this knowledge. But some, through being until now accustomed to idols, eat food as really offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8) Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. 9) Only take care lest this liberty of yours somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. 10) For if any one sees you, a man of knowledge, at table in an idol’s temple, might he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? 11) And so by your knowledge this weak man is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. 12) Thus, sinning against your brethern and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13) Therefore, if food is a cause of my brother’s falling, I will never eat meat, lest I cause my brother to fall”
Quotes are from The Holy Bible, Revised Standard Version, Ignatius Press.
This specific issue is mentioned several times in scripture, the most often quoted being:
Acts 15:19-29
Here we see the church in Antioch, which is in Syria and saturated in the Roman culture. Meat at the market could have very well been used in idol worship. The Jews would have nothing to do with this kind of meat, as to them it gave approval to the practice. The gentiles saw it as just buying meat, since they hadn’t done any sacrificing. It was a divisive issue in the church, and to keep anyone from being accused of idol worship, it was decided that noone should partake in meat used in idol worship.
“19) Therefore my judgement is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, 20) but should write to them to abstain from the pollutions of idols and from unchastity and from what is strangled and from blood. 21) For from early generations Moses has had in every city those who preache him, for he is read every sabbath in the synagogues” 22) Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole Church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barasab’bas, and Silas, leading men among the brethern, 23) with the following letter: “The brethren, both the apostles and the elders, to the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cili’cia, greeting. 24) Since we have heard that some persons from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, 25) it has seemed good to us in assembly to choose men and send them to you with out beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26) men who have risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27) We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. 28) For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: 29) that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from unchastity. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell”
1 Corinthians, 8:1-13
The stumbling block. He we have Paul telling us that meat is meat. Meat sacrificed to an idol is sacrificed to nothing at all. Since God has given us all food, all food is clean. However (there is always a however) if eating meat sacrificed to an idol will cause your brother problems and moral doubts (thus forcing him to come to this very excellent forum and ask questions), then you should probably abstain for his sake. Because we love our brothers.
“1) Now concerning food offered to idols: We know that “all of us posess knowledge.” “Knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. 2) If any one imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. 3) But if one loves God, one is known by Him. 4) Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existance,” and that “there is no God but one”. 5) For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth- as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”- 6) yet for us there is one God, the Father, for whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. 7) However, not all posess this knowledge. But some, through being until now accustomed to idols, eat food as really offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8) Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. 9) Only take care lest this liberty of yours somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. 10) For if any one sees you, a man of knowledge, at table in an idol’s temple, might he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? 11) And so by your knowledge this weak man is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. 12) Thus, sinning against your brethern and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13) Therefore, if food is a cause of my brother’s falling, I will never eat meat, lest I cause my brother to fall”
Quotes are from The Holy Bible, Revised Standard Version, Ignatius Press.
P
puzzleannie
Guest
do you have an example where Catholics today are living in such a situation where that would be required?As Catholics can we eat meat, which is offered to idols?
M
Muze
Guest
Actually, Paul says not to eat meat that you’ve been told has been sacrificed to idols. If one isn’t told, you aren’t required to ask.St. Paul strictly said that we should not eat any food that is offered to idols. We can break fasts on certain situations, but we can never, ever eat food offered to idols.
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